What we are seeing are old outdated ideas being slowly blown away by crisis after crisis. I've worked in food retail since 1985, and for many years, it was regarded as the job of the desperate, poor or not very well educated. Since the pandemic, people have realised, actually, we provide a valuable service, even more so in my role as home delivery driver - and the pay has increased likewise. The first person to say to me, its easy, get in the van and go, I will LOL, so how about loading and unloading 2 tons of shopping in a 10 hour shift? Keeping to strict time limits due to vans being on the road 20 hours a day, also being responsible for £80k worth of Mercedes Benz, £5K of customer shopping, many of whom depend on it. Also, you can't behave like white van man, you will lose your job or be moved to shelf filling if you do. As an ambassador for the company I work for, my every move is being watched by sad people looking to be offended by, well anything, really, hence we have dashcams all round, bodycams, personal and in cab attack alarms, and on top of that, the risk of being attacked (as I have been) and running the gauntlet of other road users behaving like total and utter tools, making your job so much more difficult. All for £10 an hour. Bargain.
I had a taste of that with Amazon. When I was furloughed. All that you described. Same van. Same instances. All the technology you described. What I found difficult was delivering 180 to 200 parcels a day without knocking someone off their bike. Around here there are problems with speeding motorists and typically they are delivery drivers. So in other words speed is of the essence which conflicts with road safety. I quite enjoyed a brief natter at the doorstep. It was a good experience but I am glad I am not doing it now. I am happy in retirement and with a soft desk job at home. Your form of driving is a lot less mindless than driving an HGV.
Drivers are looked down on same as cleaners and care workers as well as shop workers and to top it of most of joe public are narcissistic w@#&ers.
You're right, John. Some factory workers do great, responsible work. It is best if we all look at each other better in life. My parents (both passed now) used to say "don't knock the workers". A Jack Kerouac "stream of consciousness" meander: Sometimes I meet security guards who are really cheesed off about something. I try to see if I can inject a little humour into the situation and it gives me a lot of pleasure to see them smile and feel better when we have had a little chat and we both go our separate ways. There is a snowball - rolling down the hill effect. If I am pleasant to him, he will be pleasant to the next person. There is so much negativity in life and it doesn't take much to turn things around. Of course, on the rare occasion, someone is bitter and twisted and no amount of pleasant chat will change them. "It's being so cheerful that keeps him going" I mutter to myself (or to anyone else who may have noticed his demeanour).
yes--and no. No official advice because MG rover no longer exists. Many MG owners report E5 is better--gives more mpg to offset the extra cost..and better performance.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-58767230 Motorists follow tanker assuming its was carrying fuel. The lead car even said to the tanker driver “you could have told us” Really?!
meanwhile in Derbyshire https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-engla...15d011zTyFNCFMV3HRIiCbqwpnsYgEosCoTzj_wnwsCII
